An appeal to the international community to save the lives of Palestinian administrative detainees on hunger strike, al-Sharawna and al-Eissawi

20 December 2012 | Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) expresses extreme concern over the fate of Ayman al-Sharawna and Samer al-Eissawi, who have been on hunger strike in Israeli jails. PCHR holds the Israeli Occupation Forces accountable for these lives, and calls upon the international community to exert pressure on the IOF to immediately release al-Sharawna and al-Eissawi.

Ayman al-Sharawna, 36, from Hebron, and Samer al-Eissawi, 33, from Jerusalem, have now been on hunger strike for 173 days and 143 days respectively. Al-Sharawna started the hunger strike on 1 July, while al-Eisswi, started it on 1 August, in protest against being re-arrested and placed under the administrative detention. The two detainees were released in the context of the prisoners’ swap deal between Palestinian armed groups and Israeli authorities in October 2011, under which 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were released in exchange for the captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.

According to various human rights sources, the health conditions of the two detainees are continuously deteriorating because of the long periods of their hunger strikes, and they have recently abstained from drinking water. They suffer from various health problems, including leanness, general weakness, anemia, protein shortages, sugar shortage, deteriorated visions, and others. Their lives are at stake.

In spite of their serious health conditions, Israeli authorities have refused to release al-Sharawna and al-Eissawi, and exerted heavy pressure on both of them to stop their hunger strikes, in exchange for departing them abroad, but the two detainees have rejected these attempts and have insisted on continuing their hunger strike demanding their release to their homes.

In another development, on Wednesday, 19 December 2012, Israeli soldiers violently beat al-Eissawi in Jerusalem courtroom during the hearing held for considering the appeal to release him on bail or placing him under house arrest until his trial is concluded. The Israeli soldiers attacked al-Eissawi and his family members who came to see him, although he entered the courtroom on a wheelchair and handcuffed as he is unable to walk because of the long period of his hunger strike. They pulled al-Eissawi out of the courtroom and transported him back to Ramla Hospital. Additionally, Israeli forces raided al-Eissawi’s house and arrested him sister, Shirin al-Eissawi, who was presented to a judge. She was released yesterday, but was placed under house arrest.

PCHR has extreme concern over the fate of al-Sharawna and al-Eissawi, who are on hunger strike in Israeli jails, and seeking to save their lives:

1. Calls upon the international community to exert pressure on the IOF to immediately release them, in order to save their lives.

2. Calls upon human rights organizations and international solidarity organizations to put an end to the misuse of administrative arrests by the IOF, based on the term of ‘unlawful combatant,’ in violation of the fundamental right to a fair trial.

3. Notes with grave concern the deterioration of living conditions of more than 4,700 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Madama attack – Harrowing account from the Nassar family

18 December 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, Madama, Occupied Palestine

Following yesterday’s attack on the village of Madama by Israeli soldiers and settlers, Huda Ibraheem Nassar, the mother of the family who were violently attacked yesterday, recounted to us the harrowing story of what happened.

Currently one of her sons who was seized by settlers in what yesterday was thought to be a kidnap is now being held in the Huwwara Military Camp, while the other is recovering from gunshot wounds in his leg. Huda herself and two of her daughters were beaten by Israeli soldiers during the attack on Monday.

Huda told us how two of her sons were grazing their sheep in the valley next to their village, in a spot distant from the illegal Israeli settlement of Yitzhar. One of her sons Mahmoud went to bring a donkey back from the village, Mamun her other son spotted a settler notorious for various attacks on villages around the Yitzhar settlements. He called his brother Mahmoud to return back to the valley, fearing that he was going to be attacked. In fact, when Mahmoud returned he found Mamun handcuffed whilst being horrifically beaten by a settler. Two Israeli soldiers stood back and watched the attack, while many other soldiers surveyed the area.

Mamun was being severely beaten and strangled by the settler, his face was swollen and full of blood and he was foaming from the mouth. Seeing this, Mahmoud went to try to free his brother, but was stopped by the soldiers who started beating him on his head with the butts of their guns. Huda and two of her daughters, together with her other son, Amir, arrived on the the scene and went to attempt to help his two brothers, only to be also beaten up by the soldiers.

At that point the soldiers started shooting live bullets at the family. One shot passed just next to them, while another one hit Amir in his leg. “They wanted to kill Amir. I heard the officer giving that order. He was just lucky that the shot hit his leg,” Huda told us. As more villagers arrived at the violent scene, Amir was taken away back to the village. Mamun who was severely beaten was then taken away by the Israeli soldiers.

“I am really worried about Mamun. He was in a really bad shape, full of blood and his face was swollen. I hope they gave him the medical attention he needed”, his mother Huda said. The District Coordination Office informed the family that Mamun is currently being held at the Huwwara Military Camp.

During yesterday’s attack two other people were injured when soldiers and settlers attacked the villagers that arrived at the scene of the aggression. One was hospitalised with gunshot wounds in his leg, while the other was hit on the side of the head with a tear gas cannister.

Photos from JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP/Getty Images 2012 AFP

 

 

Homes searched during Israeli incursion in H1 Hebron

by Team Khalil

16 December 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

One Palestinian was arrested and many were harassed by Israeli soldiers on Sunday evening between 6pm and 7:30 pm during an incursion into the Palestinian Authority controlled area of Hebron.

Israeli occupation forces entered the Tel Rumeida area in H1. Homes and shops were searched, and a Palestinian teenager was restrained in handcuffs and blindfolded. The targeting of this person did  not appear to be based on any evidence. The soldiers illegal actions were an aggressive response to an incident in which a Palestinian allegedly threw a glass bottle at a watchtower.

During the excursion families, ranging from infants to elderly men and women, were made to stand on the street, vehicles were stopped and searched by the soldiers, and businessmen were made to come out of their places of work for interrogation.

The soldiers tried to raid one apartment that is rented by internationals despite possessing no legal documents authorizing a search. The civilians filmed as much of the harassment as possible in the dark and were repeatedly instructed to move 30, then 40 metres away.

When activists questioned the soldiers on their right to be in the area they were ordered to leave, threatened with arrest, and were only given the reasons: “because I said so” and “you are interfering with an investigation”. The military investigation was conducted without respect to the Hebron agreement, which states “Both sides reiterated their commitment to maintain normal life throughout the city of Hebron and to prevent any provocation or friction that may affect the normal life in the city.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protocol_Concerning_the_Redeployment_in_Hebron).

The Hebron agreement governs the power given to soldiers in the city. Palestinians in the neighbourhood cite excursions such as this one, as well as the constant restrictions on Palestinian movement in the city, as causes for increasing conflict.

Three people shot in Madama, Palestine

17 December 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, Madama, Occupied Palestine

Israeli settlers, then the Israeli army violently attacked  the village of Madama, near Nablus, West Bank. Three people were shot with live ammunition and one person was taken by Israeli settlers.

It  all started at 10.30 this morning when two brothers and their sister were attacked by a group of Israeli settlers from the illegal settlement of Yitzhar. The three Palestinians were with sheep on the hills above Madama when the settlers attacked. Two were shot and have been taken to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus. One of the brothers was hit in the head by settlers, who then took him into the settlement where hebelieve was arrested by Israeli Military. All three were aged between 20 and 30 years old.

Youth from the village went to the aid of the three siblings, and were met by the Israeli Army. Over the course of approximately five hours, soldiers fired live ammunition, tear gas, and stun grenades at Palestinian youth armed only with stones. A further two Palestinians were seriously injured in the clash, one shot in the leg with live ammunition and another was hit by a tear gas canister. The army also arrested one Palestinian.

A Red Crescent medic at the scene said since the successful UN state bid he had seen a dramatic rise in wounds resulting from the fire of live ammunition.

A Palestinian from Madama who was involved in the clashes today said that settlers have been attacking the village and their agriculture for a long time. Olive trees are regularly burnt or destroyed, and farmers have often been injured. The village lies in a valley between the Yitzhar and Bracha settlements, and their land runs up to the fences of these settlements.

Photos from JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP/Getty Images 2012 AFP

Israeli soldiers occupy a home in Huwwara

14 December 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, Occupied Palestine

Israeli soldiers occupied the home of a family in the village of Huwwara, south of Nablus, for three days, between Sunday 11th and Tuesday 13th December. Prior to occupying the home, the soldiers had entered into the house twice.

Family members living in the house recounted how soldiers came there on Sunday morning at 4:30am, jumped the gate and entered their home. They gave no reasons for their intrusion and they did not provide any information on the length of their stay there or on the nature of their activities within the house. The family of nine persons, including four children, were forced to stay on the ground flour of the house during the three-day occupation, and were ordered to keep the front gate open. To feed their animals, kept on the upper floor of the house, they had to ask permission from the military and were accompanied at gunpoint by soldiers.

The village of Huwwara is surrounded by the illegal Israeli settlements of Itmar, Bracha and Yitshar, and is close to the Huwwara Israeli military base. In the last two decades Huwwara has suffered frequent attacks by settlers throwing stones, damaging cars and shooting gunfire at homes and persons of the village. Moreover, farmers have been stopped from cultivating lands and picking olives in areas near the settlements.